Refrigerator and controlling method of the same

Abstract

A refrigerator having a controller and a method substantially allowing an independent cooling operation of a first compartment, e.g., cooling compartment and a second compartment, e.g., storing compartment. The storing compartment may be maintained at a cooling or preservation temperature which may be lower than a cooling or preservation temperature of the cooling compartment.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a housing having a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the first and second compartments are maintained at different temperatures;   a first channel configured to guide air into the first compartment;   a second channel configured to guide air into the second compartment; and   a channel controller controlling an amount of air flow into at least one of the main channel or the bypass channel.   
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a cold air generation room having cooler and a fan for supplying air, which is cool or cold. 
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the main channel comprises:
 a first air channel adjacently provided to the bypass channel to be selectively opened and closed by the channel controller; and   a second air channel separately provided from the first air channel.   
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a guide unit provided with the fan and configured to communicate with the first channel and the second channel to guide air to the first channel and the second channel. 
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the second channel comprises:
 a bypass guide having a predetermined space, and selectively partitionable from the guide unit by the channel controller; and   at lease one air hole provided on one side of the bypass guide to discharge air bypassed from the guide unit to the second compartment.   
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a panel to partition the first compartment and the cold air generation room and provided with the first channel and the second channel. 
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the channel controller comprises at least one damper whose one end pivots at a portion where the first channel and the second channel meet each other. 
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the second compartment is provided within the first compartment. 
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the panel further includes an outlet to and an inlet from the first compartment. 
   
   
       10 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a housing having a first compartment and a second compartment;   a main channel configured to guide air into the first compartment;   a bypass channel unit configured to guide air into the second compartment; and   at least one damper controlling air flow into at least one of the main channel or the bypass channel.   
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein one end of the damper pivots at a portion where the main channel and the bypass channel meet so that the damper selectively allows an amount of air flow into the main channel and the bypass channel. 
   
   
       12 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein when the damper closes the bypass channel, a free end of the damper is spaced from the one side of the bypass channel by a predetermined gap so that air can flow into the bypass channel through the predetermined gap. 
   
   
       13 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein when the damper closes the first guide, the free end of the damper is spaced from the one side of the first guide by a predetermined gap so that the air can flow in the first guide through the predetermined gap. 
   
   
       14 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the damper controls the rate of airflow into the first guide and the bypass channel by changing a pivoting rotational angle of the damper. 
   
   
       15 . A method of controlling a temperature of a first compartment and a second compartment of a refrigerator comprising:
 selecting a temperature of the first compartment and the second compartment, the temperature of the first and second compartments being different;   comparing an internal temperature of the first compartment with the set temperature of the first compartment and an internal temperature of the second compartment with the set temperature of the second compartment; and   controlling a rotational angle of at least one damper in accordance with the comparison results, wherein one end of the damper pivots at a portion where a main channel guiding air into the first compartment meets a bypass channel guiding air into the second compartment.   
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein when the internal temperature of the first compartment is higher than the set temperature of the first compartment and the internal temperature of the second compartment is lower than the set temperature of the second compartment, the damper is controlled to close the bypass channel. 
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein when the internal temperature of the second compartment is higher than the set temperature of the second compartment and the internal temperature of the first compartment is lower than the set temperature of the first compartment, the damper is controlled to close the main channel. 
   
   
       18 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein and when the internal temperature of the first compartment is higher than the set temperature of the first compartment and the internal temperature of the second compartment is higher than the set temperature of the second compartment, the damper is controlled to simultaneously control the opening rates of the main channel and the bypass channel. 
   
   
       19 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the rotation angle of the damper is controlled according to the ratio of a first temperature difference corresponding to a difference between an internal temperature of the first compartment with the set temperature of the first compartment to the second temperature difference corresponding to a difference between an internal temperature of the second compartment with the set temperature of the second compartment. 
   
   
       20 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the rotation angle of the damper is controlled according to the ratio of a value of the first temperature difference multiplied by the difference between the volume of the first compartment and the volume of the second compartment to a value of the second temperature difference multiplied by the volume of the second compartment. 
   
   
       21 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a housing having a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the first and second compartments are maintained at different temperatures;   a first channel configured to guide air into the first compartment;   a second channel configured to guide air into the second compartment;   a channel controller controlling an amount of air flow into at least one of the main channel or the bypass channel; and   a cold air generation room having a cooler and a fan, the fan having a hub, a shroud of annular shape, and a plurality of blades arranged radially with respect to the axis of rotation and coupled to the hub and the shroud.